Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Oxford University to return 500-year-old sculpture to India

The almost 60cm-tall bronze statue had been on display at the university's Ashmolean Museum.

Oxford University to return 500-year-old sculpture to India

OXFORD UNIVERSITY will return a 500-year-old bronze statue of the Hindu saint Tirumankai Alvar to India, following a claim by the Indian high commission that the sculpture might have been looted from an Indian temple.

This 16th-century artifact, previously displayed at the Ashmolean Museum, depicts the Tamil poet and saint from South India.


The university's council approved the claim on 11 March 2024, and the decision is now awaiting approval from the charity commission.

“On 11 March 2024 the council of the University of Oxford supported a claim from the Indian high commission for the return of a 16th-century bronze sculpture of saint Tirumankai Alvar from the Ashmolean Museum. This decision will now be submitted to the charity commission for approval," said a statement for the Ashmolean.

In 2022, Oxford and Cambridge universities indicated their willingness to return collections of Benin bronzes following a request from Nigeria.

Over 200 artifacts were seized by British colonial forces in 1897 amid a violent trade conflict.

Thousands of these brasses and other items were taken and sold in London to offset the costs of the military expedition.

Last year, prime minister Rishi Sunak found himself in a dispute with Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who used an interview to advocate for the return of the Parthenon marbles.

Sunak accused Mitsotakis of attempting to “grandstand” over the issue after cancelling a meeting with the Greek leader.

Greece has long campaigned for the return of the Parthenon marbles, claiming they were illegally acquired during a period of foreign occupation.

More For You

Police Recover £1M Stolen Jewellery in Hounslow, Owners Sought

The jewellery was largely taken from London’s South Asian community in Hounslow between 2023 and 2024. (Photo: Met Police)

Stolen jewellery worth £1m recovered in Hounslow, police seek owners

POLICE are seeking to reunite stolen jewellery worth over £1 million with its rightful owners after recovering the items during a proactive operation across London and the home counties.

The recovered collection includes identifiable pieces such as a World War One officer’s Rolex watch, a gold locket containing old pictures, an engraved gold ring, and an engraved gold pocket watch from Harlow Bros Ltd.

Keep ReadingShow less
british-muslims

The initiative aims to track incidents, raise awareness of hate crime, and provide better victim support.

iStock)

Government announces fund to combat anti-Muslim hate

THE UK government has announced a new fund to monitor anti-Muslim hate and support victims, with applications opening on 7 April.

The initiative aims to track incidents, raise awareness of hate crime, and provide better victim support.

Keep ReadingShow less
Probe launched over racist broadcast at Kent asylum centre

FILE PHOTO: Entrance of Manston short-term holding centre for migrants, near Ramsgate in southeast England. (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Probe launched over racist broadcast at Kent asylum centre

AUTHORITIES have launched an investigation following reports that a racist message was broadcast over portable radios at an asylum processing centre in Kent.

The incident occurred at the Manston site, where small boat arrivals are processed by the Home Office and its contractor, Mitie, reported The Guardian.

Keep ReadingShow less
Protest against dog crackdown ahead of Modi's Sri Lanka visit

Sri Lankan animal rights activists take part in a demonstration in Colombo on April 3, 2025, to protest the round-up of stray dogs a day ahead of a visit by Narendra Modi. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Protest against dog crackdown ahead of Modi's Sri Lanka visit

SRI LANKAN animal rights activists marched on Thursday (3) to protest the round-up of stray dogs a day ahead of a visit by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Authorities in Colombo and the Buddhist pilgrim city of Anuradhapura have reportedly deployed dog catchers to impound hounds ahead of Modi's visit, which begins on Friday (4).

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-trump-getty

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi hold a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Explained: Impact of US tariffs on Indian exports

The United States has announced a 27 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods entering the American market.

Industry experts have said these duties will pose challenges for Indian exports, though India's position remains more favourable than some of its competitors.

Keep ReadingShow less